Automatic programming device for looms

ABSTRACT

A prescribed program of weft color repeats for a loom is represented by stored counts in a plurality of binary counters. During each of a succession of operating cycles of the loom in which wefts of the same color are to be repeated, the loom shuttle box assigned to that color is actuated by a corresponding output of a first one of the counters, whose counting input is driven by a coincidence circuit associated with a second counter. The second counter is pre-set for the prescribed number of weft color repeats and is stepped at the rate of operation of the loom. When the last weft of that color repeat is inserted, the second counter excites the coincidence circuit to step the first counter. This action excites the shuttle box associated with the next weft color. A third counter stepped in synchronism with the stepping of the second counter selectively activates the loom heald shafts in preparation for insertion of the appropriate wefts.

United States Patent Isvetkov et al.

1451 July 4, 1972 1541 AUTOMATIC PROGRAMMING DEVICE FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS FO LOOMS 779,124 7/1957 Great Britain ..139 317 [72]Inventors: Krum Kostov lsvetkov; Ezekiya Gueorguiev Ezekiev, both ofSofia; Petko Petrov j 'f' 2 gi X' Nikolov; Vassil Christov 0mm, both ofjf f Samokov, all of Bulgaria omey em [73] Assignee: DSO AvtomatizatsiaI Priborostroene, ABSTRACT Sofia Bulgana A prescribed program of weftcolor repeats for a loom is [22] Filed; Jam 6, 1971 represented bystored counts in a plurality of binary counters.

During each of a succession of operating cycles of the loom in PP'-104,446 which wefts of the same color are to be repeated, the loomshuttle box assigned to that color is actuated by a correspondin out utof a first one of the counters, whose countin in ut 152 U.S.Cl...23S/92PD,139/171,139/317, isgdrivepn by a coincidence circuitassociated with a f 235/92 R1 235/92 235/92 PE counter. The secondcounter is pre-set for the prescribed [51] 1nt.Cl ..G07c 3/10 number fft color repeats and is Stepped at the rate f [58] Field of Search..139/171, 179, 317, 319; operation of the loom, When the last weft ofthat color repeat 235/92 DD, 92 CA, 92 CT, 92 CC, 92 PE is inserted, thesecond counter excites the coincidence circuit to step the firstcounter. This action excites the shuttle box as- 5 References Cisociated with the next weft color. A third counter stepped insynchronism with the stepping of the second counter selec- UNITED STATESPATENTS tively activates the loom heald shafts in preparation forinsertion of the appropriate wefts. 3,413,452 11/1968 Schlem ..235/92 CC3,539,782 11/1970 Upshur ..235/92 PD 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 3fiOOO0OOO0.0 005000000 liooo-oo-ooolgoo-ouco-o OID Q'OQMN- UQQ DIOQ'ION-,gi in'ww'iiiirbw'nb tiimiitlltilditiithtii I l l PULSE GENERATOR PHOTO-SENSITIVE ELEMENT DRIVE l LOOM I l l l PA'TENTEDJUL 41972 From Line 23From Output 4-0 SHEET 2 OF 2 BINARY COUNTER ELECTRONIC SWITCH OperatingVoltage for Binary Counter 0 To Shuttle Box 21A To Shuttle Box 2IB FIG.2

INVENTORS KRUM KOSTOV TSVETKOV EZEKIYA GUEORGUIEV 'EZEKIEV PETKO PETROVNIKOLOV VASSIL CHRISTOV OTSETOV g ma AHorney 1 AUTOMATIC PROGRAMNIINGDEVICE FOR LOOMS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One common way to programthe operation of a loom for complex repeats of a plurality of weftcolors is to arrange rollers on axles in a definite sequence. Aplurality of levers, whose sequence of operations depends on therelative positions of the rollers on the axles, are employed to actuatethe shuttle boxes associated with the different weft colors and withheald shafts used to form a shed in the warp to facilitate weftinsertion.

Another common way to control the operating sequence of the shuttleboxes and heald shafts is to employ perforated cards.

The roller-axle arrangement is disadvantageous in that it generallyrequires chain drives to couple the rollers and levers for operation.Not only does the required frequent lubrication of the chain drive tendto soil the fabric being manufactured, but the arrangement is alsosubject to rapid mechanical wear and is bulky and complicated when largenumbers of wefts in a repeat are contemplated. Program cards are alsodisadvantageous in that they are time-consuming to prepare and easilytorn; moreover, the springs and contact pins on the machine parts withwhich they are associated are subject to frequent breakage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An improved manner of programming a loom foroperation to avoid those disadvantages employs the arrangement of thepresent invention. In an illustrative embodiment suitable for colorrepeats of up to wefts each, each shuttle box is made actuable by aseparate decimal output of a first, suitably converted multi-stagebinary counter. A common output of a plurality of coincidence circuitsis connected to the counting input of the first counter. Eachcoincidence circuit has (A+l) inputs, A of which are coupled to theindividual digits of a unique A-digit number. The latter is representedby corresponding decimal outputs of a tandem arrangement of N second,suitably converted multi-stage binary counters. The remaining inputs ofthe coincidence circuits are individually connected to the separatedecimal outputs of the first binary counter. The counting input of thelowest order second counter is stepped at the rate of operation of theloom.

Each heald shaft is also made actuable, in a similar manner, in responseto a selected decimal output of a third, suitably converted multi-stagebinary counter. For this purpose, the third counter is stepped insynchronism with the lowest order second counter so that, during eachcycle of the loom, a selected warp is lifted in preparation for thecorresponding weft insertion.

Means may also be provided for actuating a pair of the shuttle boxesalternately in response to a single selected output of the first counterso that two-faced fabrics may be woven.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The nature of the invention and itsadvantages will appear more fully from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of programmed circuitry forselectively actuating the shuttle boxes and heald shafts of a loom inaccordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a modification of a portionof FIG. I, wherein a single control output of the programmed circuitrymay be employed to control a pair of shuttle boxes of the loom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 represents anarrangement for automatically sequencing weft color repeats of aconventional multicolor weaving loom 20. The loom includes a plurality(illustratively four) shuttle boxes 21A2ID and a further plurality(illustratively six) heald shafts 22A22F.

While not specifically illustrated in the drawing, it will be understoodthat the shuttle boxes 21 may be associated with different color weftswhich are to be selectively inserted during each operating cycle of theloom 20 through a shed formed by lifting selected warps.(Illustratively, the boxes 21A-21D are respectively associated with red,green, blue, and brown wefts.) The warps in turn are separatelyassociated with the heald shafts 22A-22F.

Each of the shuttle boxes and heald shafts may be brought into operationby suitably exciting an associated one of normally unoperatedelectromagnetic actuators 7-7 and 11- l 1, respectively. The actuatorsare programmed for excitation in the manner indicated below.

During each cycle of the loom, the required timed operation of thethen-actuated heald shaft and shuttle box is synchronized as indicatedbelow by means of a timing pulse generated, during each operating cycleof the loom, on a line 23. Each such pulse may be derived in aconventional manner by a photosensitive element 24, which senses theoccurrence, at the conclusion of each cycle of operation of the loom, ofthe sudden making or breaking of a light path in the loom drivemechanism, represented by the block 26. The excitation of thephotosensitive element 24 triggers the operation of a conventionalone-shot pulse generator 27, whose output is coupled to the line 23.

In accordance with the invention, the individual actuators 7-7 and 1 1llfor the various shuttle boxes and heald shafts of the loom 20 may beprogrammed for a desired sequence of operation by means of a network ofmulti-stage binary counters. In particular, a first binary counter 4 hasa plurality of parallel outputs 28-28 coupled to the inputs of a firstbinary to decimal converter 4A. Selected individual decimal outputs 4-0,4-1. .4-9 of the converter 4A are coupled to selected ones of theactuators 7-7 for the shuttle boxes 21 through individual DC amplifiers6A6A. (Illustratively, the first four outputs 4-0, 4-1, 42 and 4-3 arecoupled to the actuators for the shuttle boxes 21A, 21B, 21C and 21D,respectively).

The decimal outputs 4-0, 4-1. .49 may be stepped in sequence to operatesuccessive shuttle boxes 21 by means of stepping pulses applied to acounting input 31 of the counter 4. Such pulses are produced on a commonoutput 32 of a network of coincidence gates 8-1, 8-2. .8-10.

Illustratively, each of the gates 8 has four inputs. Corresponding firstinputs of each gate are individually connected to the decimal outputs4-0, 4-1. of the converter 4A. The remaining three inputs of each gate 8are individually coupled in a selected manner to successively higherorder decimal outputs of three second binary to decimal converters 1A,2A, and 3A. The particular decimal outputs connected to each gate 8represent the number of selected repeats for a given weft color asindicated below. (For simplicity, only the gates 8-1, 8-2, 8- 3, and 8-4are shown with such input connections.)

The converters 1A, 2A, and 3A are respectively associated with theparallel outputs of three second multi-stage binary counters l, 2, and3, which are connected in tandem as shown so that the associated decimaloutputs of the converters 1A, 2A, and 3A are of successively higherorder as required above. As a result, the gate 8-1, for example, isconnected to converter outputs representing the decimal number 064; thegate -2 is connected to the number 106; the gate 8-3 to the number 485;and the gate 84 to the number 629.

A counting input 33 of the lowest order second counter l is coupled tothe line 23 for receiving stepping pulses once during each cycle ofoperation of the loom 20. The common output 32 of the coincidencecircuits 8 is connected to each of reset inputs 34, 36, and 37 of thecounters l, 2, and 3.

An additional multi-stage binary counter 10 is provided for programmingthe operation of the actuators 11 for the heald shafts 22. The counter10 has a plurality of parallel outputs coupled to the inputs of a binaryto decimal converter 10A. Selected outputs 10-0, 10-1 10-9 of theconverter may be coupled as shown to selected ones of the actuators 11via DC amplifiers 6B-6B. (illustratively, the six outputs 10-0, 10-1.

.10- are coupled individually to the actuators for the heald shafts 22A,22B. 22F.) The counter is connected as shown to automatically resetafter the six outputs 10-0, 10-1. .10-5 have been stepped in sequence.(Illustratively, the counter 4 controlling the shuttle boxes 21 is alsoconnected as shown to automatically reset after the six outputs 4-0,4-1. .4- 5 have been stepped in sequence.)

A counting input 38 of the counter 10 is coupled to the line 23 forreceiving stepping pulses once during each cycle of operation of theloom 20 in synchronism with the stepping of the counter 1.

The manner in which the arrangement of FIG. 1 may be employed will nowbe described. Assume that a fabric is to be woven with a sequence ofweft color repeats (i.e., successive insertions of wefts of the samecolor during successive cycles of the loom) in accordance with thefollowing table:

In order to execute this program, it is assumed that (l) the loom hasjust been started, so that no stepping pulses have yet appeared on theline 23 and (2) the counters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10 have been reset to zero.Accordingly, the decimal 0 outputs 1-0, 2-0,,3-0,'4-0, and 10-0 areexcited.

Because of the presence of an output on the line 4-0, the gate 8-1 isconditioned for operation; however, since such gate is pre-set as shownfor the count 064, and since the initial count is 000, no output willappear on common line 32.

The excited decimal outputs 4-0 and 10-0 excite theactuators 7 and 11associated respectively with the red" shuttle box 21A and therightmostheald shaft 22A. During the first cycle of the loom, therefore, theselected shuttle box 21A may insert a red weft through the shedformed-by actuating the heald shaft 22A. This, of course, is the firstweft of the repeat called for in sequence No. l of the aforerecitedtable.

At the conclusion of the first cycle of the loom, the photosensitiveelement 24 is excited to trigger a pulse from the generator 27. Thispulse, appearing on the line 23, steps the counting inputs 33 and 38 insynchronism so that the outputs 1-1 and 10-1 of the converters 1A and10A are now excited. The count applied to the still-conditioned gate 8-1is now 001, and the output 32 will remain unexcited. The next healdshaft 228 will be actuated, however, by the excited output 10-1 forforming the shed for the second cycle of the loom.

Since the counter 4 has not been stepped by a pulse on the line 32, thered" shuttle box 21A is again operated during this second cycle of theloom to repeat the insertion of a red weft.

This sequence of red wefts will continue until 64 red wefts have beeninserted. At the end of the 64th cycle of the loom, the stepping pulseon the line 23 will cause the count of the counters 1, 2, and 3 to equalthe count 064 pre-set for the gate 8-1. Hence, the gate 8-1 will beopened to excite the output 32. This, in turn, will reset the counters1, 2, and 3 to zero, and step the counter 4. The output 4-1 willtherefore be excited to condition the gate 8-2 for operation and tosimultaneously actuate the green" shuttle box 218.

Since the gate 8-2 is pre-set for a count of 106, the shuttle box 218will insert green wefts during the next 106 cycles of the loom in amanner identical to that just described. Further, since the gates 8-3and 8-4 associated with the outputs 4-2 and 4-3 are pre-set for counts485 and 629 respectively, and since such outputs 4-2 and 4-3 areindividually set to actuate the blue" and brown shuttle boxes 21C and21D, it follows that sequences 3 and 4 called for in the aforementionedtable will be executed in turn after the green weft insertion. The healdshafts 22A-22F, of course, are operated in sequence during eachsuccession of six cycles of the loom 20 during the execution of theprogram of the table.

Preferably, each of the second counters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10 arereversible so that the scheme shown in FIG. 1 may also be employed tocontrol the unweaving of the wefts of an already woven multi-colorfabric. In such a case, the counters may be stepped backwards insynchronism with successive pulses on the line 23, thereby to respond toa detected sequence of weft color repeats of a fabric to be unwoven in amanner analagous to the weaving operation described above.

A modification of the arrangement of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2, whereina pair of the shuttle boxes e.g., 21A and 21B may be actuatedalternately by the excitation of a single output, e.g. 4-0 of theconverted counter 4. In this scheme, which is useful, e.g., forinterweaving wefts of two different colors, the output 4-0 is applied tothe trigger input of a normally closed electronic switch 41. The switch41 selectively couples operating voltage from a source not shown to aconventional binary counter 43. The counter 43 has a counting input 44and a pair of outputs 46 and 47. In the absence of operating voltageapplied to the binary counter, both outputs 46 and 47 thereof remainunexcited irrespective of the state of the input 44. In the presence ofsuch operating voltage, however, the outputs 46 and 47 are alternatelyexcited by successive pulses applied to the input 44.

The stepping pulses on line 23 are applied to the input 44 of the binarycounter 43. The outputs 46 and 47 are respectively coupled to theshuttle boxes 21A and 22A.

With this arrangement, so long (and, only so long) as the output 4-0 isexcited (i.e., during the 64 pre-set counts handled by the gate 8-1 ofFIG. 1 in the example indicated above), operating voltage will becoupled through the switch 41 to the binary counter 43. Hence, thecorresponding 64 successive pulses coupled from the line 23 during thisinterval to the counter input 44 will be effective to alternately excitethe shuttle boxes 21A and 21B, thereby interweaving 32 red and 32 greenwefts.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described in connection withpreferred embodiments thereof. However, since many other variations andmodifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, it isaccordingly desired that the breadth of the claims now be limited to thespecific disclosure herein contained.

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. For use with a loom having a plurality of shuttle boxes associatedwith separate wefts and operable at a first rate, apparatus forprogramming the shuttle boxes for operation in a prescribed sequencewith weft repeats of up to 10" wefts each, which comprises:

a plurality of normally unoperated first means for individuallyactuating the shuttle boxes when operated;

a first multi-stage binary counter having a counting input and aplurality of parallel outputs individually associated with each stage;

a first binary to decimal converter associated with the parallel outputsof the first binary counter for producing decimal outputs correspondingto the count of the first counter;

means for connecting selected decimal outputs of the first converter toselected ones of the first actuating means for operating the latter whenthe associated'decimal outputs are excited;

a plurality of first coincidence circuits each having A 1 inputs and acommon output;

A second multi-stage binary counters connected in cascade,

each second counter having a counting input, a reset input, and aplurality of parallel outputs individually associated with each stage;

A second binary to decimal converters individually associated with theparallel outputs of the A second counters for producing decimal outputscorresponding to the count in the associated first counters to define anA-digit decimal quantity;

means for connecting to A inputs of each first coincidence circuit,decimal outputs from the A second converters representing selectedA-digit decimal quantities;

means for individually connecting to the remaining inputs of the firstcoincidence circuits, the selected outputs of the first converter; meansfor coupling the common output of the first coincidence circuits to thecounting input of the first counter and the reset inputs of each of thesecond counters; and

first means for stepping the counting input of the lowest order secondcounter at the first rate.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the loom further comprisesT heald shafts, and in which the apparatus further comprises, incombination, a plurality of normally unoperated second means forindividually actuating the heald shafts when operated; a thirdmulti-stage binary counter having a counting input and a plurality ofparallel outputs individually associated with each stage; a third binaryto decimal converter associated with the parallel outputs of the thirdbinary counter for producing decimal outputs corresponding to the countof the third counter; means for connecting selected decimal outputs ofthe third converter to selected ones of the second actuating means foroperating the latter when the associated decimal outputs are excited;and means synchronized with the first stepping means for stepping thecounting input of the third counter at the first rate.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the first stepping meanscomprises in combination, means for generating a pulse at a selectedpoint in each operating cycle of the loom, and means for coupling theoutput of the generating means to the counting input of the lowest ordersecond counter.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which the apparatus furthercomprises, in combination, a normally disabled binary counter having aninput and first and second outputs, the binary counter being operativewhen enabled to alternately excite the first and second outputs thereofin response to suecessive pulses applied to the input; means forcoupling the output of the pulse generating means to the input of thebinary counter; normally disabled electronic switch means forselectively coupling operating voltage to the binary counter to enablethe counter, the switch means having a trigger input operative whenexcited to enable the switch means; means for coupling a selecteddecimal output of the first converter to the trigger input of the switchmeans; and means for individually coupling the first and second outputsof the binary counter to a selected pair of the first actuating means.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which, each of the first, second,and third binary counters is reversible.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,'6714,991 Dated July 97 Inventor) Krum Kostov Tsvetkov et a1 It iscertified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent' and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [72] the inventor-s name "Krum Kostov Isvetkov"should read Krum Koatov Tsvetkov Signed and sealed this 7th day ofNovember 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTISCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM PC4050 uscoMM-Dc scam-ps9 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFICE: I969 O366-3S4.

1. For use with a loom having a plurality of shuttle boxes associatedwith separate wefts and operable at a first rate, apparatus forprogramming the shuttle boxes for operation in a prescribed sequencewith weft repeats of up to 10A wefts each, which comprises: a pluralityof normally unoperated first means for individually actuating theshuttle boxes when operated; a first multi-stage binary counter having acounting input and a plurality of parallel outputs individuallyassociated with each stage; a first binary to decimal converterassociated with the parallel outputs of the first binary counter forproducing decimal outputs corresponding to the count of the firstcounter; means for connecting selected decimal outputs of the firstconverter to selected ones of the first actuating means for operatingthe latter when the associated decimal outputs are excited; a pluralityof first coincidence circuits each having A + 1 inputs and a commonoutput; A second multi-stage binary counters connected in cascade, eachsecond counter having a counting input, a reset input, and a pluralityof parallel outputs individually associated with each stage; A secondbinary to decimal converters individually associated with the paralleloutputs of the A second counters for producing decimal outputscorresponding to the count in the associated first counters to define anA-digit decimal quantity; means for connecting to A inputs of each firstcoincidence circuit, decimal outputs from the A second convertersrepresenting selected A-digit decimal quantities; means for individuallyconnecting to the remaining inputs of the first coincidence circuits,the selected outputs of the first converter; means for coupling thecommon output of the first coincidence circuits to the counting input ofthe first counter and the reset inputs of each of the second counters;and first means for stepping the counting input of the lowest ordersecond counter at the first rate.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, inwhich the loom further comprises T heald shafts, and in which theapparatus further comprises, in combination, a plurality of normallyunoperated second means for individually actuating the heald shafts whenoperated; a third multi-stage binary counter having a counting input anda plurality of parallel outputs individually associated with each stage;a third binary to decimal converter associated with the parallel outputsof the third binary counter for producing decimal outputs correspondingto the count of the third counter; means for connecting selected decimaloutputs of the third converter to selected ones of the second actuatingmeans for operating the latter when the associated decimal outputs areexcited; and means synchronized with the first stepping means forstepping the counting input of the third counter at the first rate. 3.Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the first stepping meanscomprises in combination, means for generating a pulse at a selectedpoint in each operating cycle of the loom, and means for coupling theoutput of the generating means to the counting input of the lowest ordersecond counter.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which theapparatus further comprises, in combination, a normally disabled binarycounter having an input and first and second outputs, the binary counterbeing operative when enabled to alternately excite the first and secondoutputs thereof in response to successive pulses applied to the input;means for coupling the output of the pulse generating means to the inputof the binary cOunter; normally disabled electronic switch means forselectively coupling operating voltage to the binary counter to enablethe counter, the switch means having a trigger input operative whenexcited to enable the switch means; means for coupling a selecteddecimal output of the first converter to the trigger input of the switchmeans; and means for individually coupling the first and second outputsof the binary counter to a selected pair of the first actuating means.5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which, each of the first, second,and third binary counters is reversible.